How to Create a Palworld Server: Easy Setup Guide

Excited to dive into Palworld with friends but unsure how to begin? We’re here to help! Whether you're looking to rent and customize a Palworld server from a game server provider, utilize Palworld's Peer-to-Peer co-op option, or set up your dedicated server on a personal computer, there are various options for creating a multiplayer Palworld experience. We’ll explore these options below.

Step 1: Choose a Method

Rent a Palworld Server

Hosting a dedicated Palworld server is incredibly easy when renting one from a Palworld server host. This option will allow you to play multiplayer Palworld online in minutes. Each Palworld server host offers different features, so we will focus on the features that Nodecraft offers.

• Pros

  • Unlimited customization options!

    • able to install mods

    • configuration is easy with our in-app UI for popular Palworld Server settings

    • for advanced users, our in-app file editor can give even deeper control over their Palworld server

  • Player slots up to 32

  • anyone can join with a Palworld server IP address 

  • give friends access to start, stop, and manage your Palword server

  • cloud backups - manual and automated tasks

  • easily swap between plugins, modpacks, and games, archiving your current Palworld World and configuration setup to come back to later via Nodecraft’s Save & Swap feature

• Cons

  • You have to find a Palworld server host you can trust on your own.

Use Co-op / Peer-to-Peer in Palworld

Palworld allows you to invite up to three friends to your world while you are online. There are limitations to this, but it could be a good option for a few people who only want to play at the same time as each other.

1. From Palworld's main menu, press "Start Game"

2. Either create a new world or open a current world and toggle the option for Multiplayer to "ON"

3. Once you are in the game, pause it (or press escape on your keyboard) to open the options tab. You will see an invite code and a copy button.

4. Give this code to your friends and tell them to enter it into the Invite Code field when they select "Join Multiplayer Game (Invite Code)" from the main menu

• Pros

  • no work required

  • free

• Cons

  • only supports up to 4 players, as opposed to the 32 player max on dedicated servers

  • you MUST be online for others to continue playing on the server

Host your own Palworld Server

For the more technically savvy and willing to put in more effort, setting up your dedicated server on your personal hardware is an option. To host your Palworld server on your machine, follow the Palworld Server Guide from Pocketpair. 

https://tech.Palworldgame.com/getting-started/deploy-dedicated-server

• Pros

  • complete control

• Cons

  • requires technical expertise

  • requires more time and manual work to set up

  • requires manual setup for each update/patch

  • can call for risky third-party programs or punching a hole in your own firewall for others to connect

  • requires providing your public IP Address to anyone you want to join your Palworld server. Note: Only give out your IP address to people you trust.

  • requires port forwarding

  • you may be breaking your internet provider’s terms & conditions

Step 3: Setup your Palworld Server

Each method for setting up a Palworld Server has unique steps. We’ve included links above to Pocketepair's official Palworld dedicated server hosting documentation. Each Palworld server host will have its own steps for setting up a game server, so for the sake of this article, we will walk you through how easy it is to set up a Palworld Server with Nodecraft.

1. Rent a Palworld server: Size matters, so we’ve prepared recommendations for you on our Palworld page. As the game launches new updates and Pocketpair works to optimize the game, these recommendations may change. 

2. Setup a Palworld server instance on your rented server

   1. Go to your Nodecraft dashboard.

   2. Click “Create Server”
      

   3. Choose Palworld from the list

   4. Click “New Save” and fill out the requested information

      1. Server Name

      2. DNS hostname: this is a fancy URL that can be used to join a server instead of the IP address for most games. Palworld does not yet support using this.

      3. Server Location

      4. Auto Deploy - turn this on so the server will set itself up.

   5. Click “Create Server”

      

3. Configure your Palworld server:

   1. From your Nodecraft Dashboard, click the Gear Icon with “panel” on the server’s card under “Currently Playing.

   2. Using Nodecraft’s dynamic control panel, easily toggle on and adjust all the essential settings to your desires! Settings available in the control panel include everything from server name and player slots to multipliers and performance.

   3. Community Server vs Private Server: If you want your server to show up in Palworld's in-game Community Server list, you must toggle "Community Server" to on in the Basic tab of the Palworld Game Settings control panel

      

   4. For advanced control over your server configuration, utilize the in-app, dual-pane file manager by navigating to “Server Files” in the left menu.

      

4. Start your Palworld server in the top left of the screen to turn it on.

5. Grab your Palworld server address (IP Address) and port number and share them with the players you want to invite.

That’s it! Your multiplayer Palworld server is created, customized, turned on, and ready to be joined. You can read more about How to Join Your Palworld Server, Installing Palworld Mods, How to Become an Admin on Your Palworld Server, Palworld Admin Commands, and much more in our Knowledgebase. You can also contact our support team for help!